Homeless
by crazychick14
Summary: Kankri and Karkat find a girl on the streets, hurt and alone. They take her in. What will happen? WARNING: HUMANSTUCK! ALL CHARACTERS ARE HUMAN, EXCEPT MAYBE THE BUMBLEBEES! KankrixOC, GamzeexTavros, some possible other pairings I haven't come up with. Rating for Karkat's naughty language.
1. Chapter 1

She was cold.

Sitting outside an old business office in the middle of the city, huddled into a tattered blanket, with cold rain dripping like icicles down her back and face, all she could feel was the numbing feeling that came with being like this. Her light brown hair hung in wet strings down her face. She stared at the building across the street as the rain came down in sheets, making her blanket essentially useless. Not that it was a big help in the first place. She could feel her own hands shaking. It had been three days since she last had something to eat, and two since she last managed to fall asleep.

But right now, she couldn't feel anything but the cold.

The streetlamp flickered to life above her head, the harsh orange glow making her face look sicklier and paler than she already was, if that was possible. Dull green eyes peered out at the street, dazed as they searched for something, _anything_ to help her get warm. But there was nothing- just a sleek black car across the street. Any car that expensive had to be locked when there was no one inside of it, and she just didn't have enough energy to break in. Even if she did have the energy she wouldn't have broken into someone's car. That was wrong.

She looked up when a shout pierced through the frigid night air. "Kankri! Get in the damn car already, I want to go home!" The voice sounded young, but angry. Her eyes fell on the car she had considered hijacking earlier. A boy, who looked to be about ten years old, was standing by the back door of the car. The lights on the vehicle flashed for a moment and the dull sound of the car unlocking reached her ears. The boy practically jumped into the car and closed the door, desperate to get out of the rain. She looked back down, huddling into the blanket in an attempt to keep warm.

"Relax, Karkat," another person said as the sound of his footsteps neared the girl- and, more directly, the car he was headed to. "I never understand why you always rush- oh… oh my…"

His eyes fell on the girl under the street lamp. She looked so cold, sitting out there by herself in the pouring rain. From here, he could tell that blanket wasn't doing her any good at all. Her eyes were closed, as if she were in pain. He frowned and walked over to her.

Footsteps came toward her, but she didn't register them until she could see the black shoes right in front of her. There was a rustle, and a pile of soft red fabric-a sweater, perhaps- landed in her lap. "Excuse me, miss?"

She looked up at the boy standing above her. He had black hair and kind brown eyes. Also, he was shirtless. He offered her his hand to help her get to her feet. She looked down at the sweater in her arms, then up at his hand and slowly, cautiously took it. Her hand was cold in his, but nonetheless, he pulled her up and slipped his sweater over her ragged clothes. It was soft and warm and smelled a bit like cinnamon, but she didn't mind.

"Come with me," he said softly, slipping an arm around her shoulders to warm her up a bit more. She was still shivering violently. "There's a hot meal waiting at home and I'm sure there's enough for one more." He began guiding her to the car. When he saw them, Karkat opened the door. "What are you _doing_, Kankri?"

"Hush, Karkat, and help me." He led the girl around to the door on the other side of the car. Karkat sighed dramatically and reached across the back seat, opening the door from the inside. Kankri pushed it open with his foot. He helped her sit in the seat and buckled her seatbelt for her. "Buckle your seatbelt, please," he said to Karkat as he closed the door and walked around to the front of the car. He sat in the driver's seat and started the engine. The girl leaned her head against the window as the car began to move.

"Dad's gonna kill you," she could barely hear the younger boy- Karkat, was that his name? -say to the other. "Hush." She watched the lights of the city flash by in a delirious blur. They were so pretty… like shooting stars… Her body relaxed against the seat of the car as the lights got darker, until she couldn't see them at all.

* * *

"Wake up now," the soft voice was saying. "We're home." She opened her eyes a crack to see the same boy who had given her the sweater standing over her. Her seatbelt was unbuckled- probably by Karkat. She could hear the younger boy moving in the seat next to her. The shirtless boy- why couldn't she remember his name? –gently pulled her out of the back seat and wrapped his arm around her waist. She found she could barely stand on her own feet, and the boy signaled Karkat to close the car door and help him. Karkat groaned and placed her arm over his shoulders, so she was supported on both sides by them. They walked up a short flight of stone stairs to a warm-looking, inviting house. The pavement was wet from the rain, and she almost slipped a couple of times, but they held her up. Karkat opened the door, and held it open as the other boy- the name Kankri flashed into her mind for some reason- led her to a couch and laid her down.

"You're safe now," he whispered to her. "Don't worry. I'll get you something to eat." He gently reached down and brushed some of her hair out of her face. She flinched at his touch, clearly not used to people being so gentle around her. He sighed and stood, then went to the kitchen and got a plate of food. When he returned, she was attempting to sit up. Kankri set down the plate on the table and put one hand on her back, the other on her shoulder to steady her. He helped her into a sitting position, leaning against the back of the couch. The entire time, she watched him with wide eyes. He handed her a plate of food, and she began to eat quickly. So quickly, in fact, that most of the food on the plate was gone in a matter of minutes.

"Slow down," Kankri said gently. "You'll make yourself sick if you eat that fast." Despite her hunger, she listened to him and finished her meal slowly. Kankri asked if she wanted more, but she shook her head. She was finally, after months- _years_- of being hungry, full. She stared up at him as he wrapped a thick, warm blanket around her shoulders. Just then, he blushed. "Excuse me," he said, suddenly realizing he was still shirtless. He went up the stairs and disappeared from her sight.

Karkat came up to her, holding a glass of water. "Drink," he snapped, holding the glass out to her. But underneath his harsh tone, his eyes were a bit soft, as if he really cared for her- just as much as Kankri did, but he wasn't as apt to show his feelings as his brother. She reached out and took the glass from him, her hand shaking. She slowly raised it to her lips and began to drink the cool, clear water. He huffed and walked away from her, and she sighed and continued drinking.

"Excuse me," a voice said from the doorway. She turned to the source. A man, who looked a bit like Kankri and Karkat, stood there, in the middle of hanging up a jacket. "You must be the girl my son told me about…" He walked over and sat next to her on the couch. She inched away from him, but the moment she moved, pain shot through her chest and she winced. He laid a hand on her shoulder, and she stared up at him, eyes wide with fear.

"It's alright," he said softly. "I won't hurt you. I'm Kankri and Karkat's father. Just relax." So _that's_ where Kankri got his kind tone… "What's your name?" He asked her.

She opened her mouth to speak, but only a hoarse whimper came out, and she realized her voice was weak from disuse. His kind smile fell and a look of worry replaced it. He placed the back of his hand on her forehead to see if she had a fever. She tried again to speak, and finally managed to whisper her name to him.

"Sarah…"

He sighed. "Well, Sarah, you're welcome to stay as long as you'd like. But you're to stay here or in a bed until we bring your fever down. You're ill." She nodded, and he laid her back down on the couch. He pulled the blanket closer around her and smiled softly, then walked out of the room. She watched him go and sighed, wincing at the pain that shot through her chest again. She probably had a few broken ribs. Stupid gang…

"Are you comfortable?" Kankri's voice floated to her from the bottom of the stairs. She slowly and painfully sat up to face him as he sat next to her on the couch. She inched away from him, not used to the close contact and getting nervous. He sighed and reached up, brushing a lock of hair from her face.

"You don't have to worry," He whispered to her. "Nobody here is going to hurt you, and I won't let anyone out there hurt you. I promise." She stared at him for a moment, and then nodded slowly. There was something about him that made her want to trust him. But she knew she couldn't. She never trusted anyone anymore; it always ended up hurting her or hurting someone else. She was brought out of her train of thought when Kankri touched her shoulder, and she realized he was pushing her back onto the couch. Once she was lying down, he tucked a pillow underneath her head and pulled the blanket closer around her. He bent down and laid a light kiss on her forehead before reaching over and shutting off the light.

"Sleep well, Sarah," he whispered before heading back up the stairs. Sarah stared blankly into the dark, listening to the seemingly infinite clock ticking somewhere else in the house. She tried desperately to stay awake- getting too comfortable here probably wasn't a good idea- but as hard as she tried, her eyes slowly slipped closed and she forgot all of her pain, all of her heartache. If only for a night.

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**Hi.**

**I'm new to the Homestuck fandom.**

**How are you today?**

**Okay, let me explain a few things before the inevitable flames take over the review box and, at the same time, my email. Sarah is my OC, and in this, I have made her homeless. She is human, and this is a humanstuck fic. All the trolls are humans. Kankri is ****_not_**** going to go on massive social justice rants, and he won't swear unless something ****_really_**** pisses him off. There will be other troll/humans in this fic, such as Sollux and Mituna. They will come up soon (I hope). One last thing: Sarah, Kankri, and all troll/humans that are Kankri's age are sixteen. All troll/humans that are Karkat's age are thirteen.**

**I got this idea from a roleplay I did with a friend, before I had even ****_started_**** reading Homestuck. I began it soon after, and I went from Act One to Act Four in a week. So, yeah. Sold my soul to Hussie. Dammit. Oh, well.**

**If you have any questions, PM me. Please leave a review, I love reviews! Flames are okay, criticism is hated but accepted. And now, since I know none of you want to read my ongoing author's note, I'm gonna go. But see that button? Right below this nice black text? PRESS IT AND TYPE WHAT YOU THOUGHT OF THIS STORY.**

**Eh he he. No pressure.**


	2. Chapter 2

Kankri came down the stairs the next morning and stopped when he saw Sarah, still asleep on the couch. She was curled up underneath the blanket. He sighed softly. She was beautiful... A bit dirty, of course, but beautiful nonetheless... He shook his head with a light smile and walked into the kitchen, deciding to try his hand at cooking for once. Yes, he had set off the smoke alarm last time he tried, but this time would be different. He was nearly certain...

About twenty minutes later, Sarah's eyes fluttered open. Wait, this didn't make sense. She was _warm_. She was _never_ warm. And she wasn't looking out at a cold, damp city street like she usually did when she woke up. There was no hunger gnawing at her stomach, begging her for something to make the pain go away and just getting worse when no food came... Where was she?

Suddenly, it came back to her. Kankri rescuing her from the street, going back to their house with him and Karkat, Karkat bringing her water, meeting Kankri's father... She was safe. Sick and injured, yes, but safe. She slowly sat up on the couch, ignoring the pain the simple movements brought her, and pushed the blanket off. Though Kankri's father had told her to stay down and rest, she saw no point in being lazy. She could easily ignore a little pain. She'd been doing it for years. She swung her legs over the side of the couch and stood. She had to put her hand against the wall to hold herself up, and her head spun rapidly as she tried to focus on the room. But her vision eventually focused and her head cleared. She slowly took her hand off the wall and took a few steps. Stumbling a bit, but managing to stay upright, she followed the noises of banging pots and pans into the kitchen.

Kankri stood at the stove, leaning over two pans- one with eggs, the other with bacon- and humming softly. She didn't know the tune, and he didn't notice her standing in the doorway.

"Kankri?" She said, but her voice was barely audible. She cleared her throat and tried again. "Kankri?" This time, it was stronger than it had been last night- by a lot- but still had a bit of a weak rasp to it. But he heard and looked up.

"Sarah, you shouldn't be up," he said, walking over to her. He took her arm and led her gently back to the couch. He sat her down and wrapped the blanket around her shoulders, but she pushed it off.

"I'm fine," she said. "I can walk on my own now, I can-"

"No," he interrupted. "You're ill, you're to stay here until we lower your fever. I'm nearly finished with breakfast. Now wait here, please." He stood and went back to the kitchen, and she sighed and leaned back against the couch.

A few minutes later, he came out with a plate of (burnt) scrambled eggs, a piece of toast, and (also slightly burnt) bacon. He had never been a good cook, but figured she might not eat anything made by his father or brother. She smiled a bit as he handed her the plate, and he took a seat next to her on the sofa. She began eating quickly.

"I'm sorry it's a bit burnt," he said sheepishly, his face taking on a warm shade of red. "I've never been the best cook..." But she shook her head.

"This is the best thing I've had in years," she said. He blinked. It had been proven that he could _not_ cook... How did she think it was good?

"How long were you out there?" He asked softly as she ate, then blushed. "If you don't mind me asking, of course." She stopped eating for a moment and stared at her plate.

"Five years."

He stared at her. Five whole _years_? He was shocked into silence, and she stared at her plate. She knew he would ask for an explanation, so she just decided to give it before he could.

"My parents died the day before my eighth birthday," she said quietly. "Car accident. I was there too, but I didn't die. I was in the hospital for a month before they released me into my uncle's care. I stayed with him for three years before I finally ran away. I've lived on the streets ever since."

"That is..." For once, he couldn't find the words to say. "I'm sorry. Why did you run away from your uncle?"

"He hit me," she said quietly. "A lot. When I was little I would tell my parents but they wouldn't believe me. He always came up with some logical explanation for the bruises. Fell down the stairs, tripped over the dog... They believed him every time. He made me swear not to tell... When I started living with him, it only got worse... He held a knife to my throat once. He almost cut me." She looked down at her hands in her lap, all signs of hunger having faded from her aching body.

She almost gasped out loud as he pulled her to him in a hug. No one had hugged her in _years_. She froze up, no longer exactly certain as to what to do. But he just sat there holding her.

"You're safe now," he mumbled into her ear. "I won't let any harm come to you..." She sighed softly, mentally deciding not to tell him the _real_ reason she was scared. It wasn't for herself, that was for sure... Despite still being tense and nervous, she slowly began to hug Kankri back, attempting to ignore the sharp pain the simple action brought to her rib cage.

"Thank you," she whispered to him. "For... everything..."

A small smile spread on Kankri's face as he rubbed her back gently, soothing her. "There's no need to thank me, Sarah," he said softly. "We all want you to heal quickly... So you have to listen to us when we tell you to stay on the couch..." She sighed and nodded slowly. It was the least she could do after he saved her...

"What the _hell_, Kankri?" Karkat's voice shattered their quiet little conversation like a broken mirror as he walked into the living room from the kitchen. "Dad and I told you never to cook again! Good job, dumbass, you probably poisoned her." Sarah had looked down as Karkat walked in, getting very quiet all of a sudden. Her hands were folded in her lap. Kankri looked at her and noticed her expression- above all things, all other conflicting emotions evident on her face, fear was the most prominent...

"So," Karkat continued, getting a glass of orange juice from the refrigerator and carrying it back into the living room, taking a long drink. Once he had drained about half of the glass, he looked at her. "Your name is Sarah?"

She nodded silently.

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**Sorry for the late update! I have been SO busy lately, I can barely find time to write anymore! But I'm definitely trying. Thanks for the reviews, and please leave me some more! I don't own Homestuck, but Sarah is MINE.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry I haven't updated in a while, everything's been SO busy with testing and school and such. But I'm back, and I'll hopefully be updating a lot more often. Also, I'd like to give a shout out to Aimee Norris for the nice review and the crab she gave me. I'm naming him Mr. Snappers.**

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Five weeks had passed at the Vantas house. With the help of Meulin Leijon, who happened to be a nurse, and her friend Kurloz, Sarah's fever was long gone and her ribs were healed. She was, however, always afraid. She only ever talked around Kankri and his family, and sometimes not even around them. She didn't leave the house much- the last time they had taken her out in public, she had had a panic attack in the middle of the grocery store. She wasn't good around large crowds, and they learned this quickly.

Nightmares plagued her often, and she spent most of her nights awake in the room they had given her, curled up in her bed and trying not to cry. The times she _did_ sleep, she either woke up in a cold sweat and shaking, or screaming and holding her head as the memories faded to black.

In the beginning, all three of the boys came to check on her when she woke screaming. After a while, Karkat stopped coming. Soon after, his father stopped as well, though the worried looks from him she got in the morning never did. Kankri was the only one who kept coming back, but she suspected these concerned visits would soon cease as well.

One particularly bad nightmare left her shaking under her blankets one night. It began peaceful, as they always did, with an image of her parents, happy and smiling and laughing, holding hands. They quickly left, their images dripping down out of Sarah's vision, like they were turning to ink and pouring away. They left blackness behind them, and just that black, so complete in and of itself, scared Sarah. She could hold out her hand and was unable to see it in front of her face. As always, a hand came out of the blackness, and came down on her- h_ard_. It hit her across the cheek, creating a loud _slap_ noise and leaving a bright red mark on her cheek. This scared her more than it hurt.

But that was where the dream changed that night.

Instead of just a hand emerging from the dark, the hand held a long, sharp knife. The hand came down as usual, but the knife dug into her cheek, cutting down to her jaw. She was too shocked to even react. The black turned to white, yellow, silver, red, and blue, all swirling and mixing together. Soon they all solidified into the room of a motel, with white walls, pale yellow light leaking from under a lamp shade, and a mirror above a television. A man-_ him_, a man she never wanted to see again- stood at the end of the bed she was laying on, in a dark blue t-shirt. Blood was splattered over his shirt and arms, as well as on the bed, and mostly on her.

The most terrifying part was the gun in his hand. Or maybe it was the empty bullet casing at his feet. Or the blood-soaked knife lying by her feet.

Or maybe that the blood was hers.

The dream stopped there when she was jolted awake, being shaken by Kankri. She shot upright with a terrified scream, shaking and crying. Before she could do anything else, she was pulled into Kankri's arms, and he was resting his chin on her shoulder. He mumbled comforting words in her ear and rubbed her back with small circles. She didn't even notice that Karkat and his father were standing in the door as she began to sob, slowly hugging him back. She hid her face in the fabric of the shirt Kankri had worn to sleep that night, soaking it with tears.

"What was it?" He whispered softly, stroking her hair. She shook her head and just cried harder, her arms tightening around him. She wasn't calming down. He pulled her back and held her head, down near her neck, gently and rested his forehead against hers.

"Would you like me to stay here?" He whispered softly. She bit her lip, shaking, and nodded slightly. Karkat's father guided Karkat away from the room and closed the door silently. Kankri slowly guided Sarah out of her bed and quickly straightened the blankets, then pulled them back so there was a space for them to crawl in. He got in first and took her hand, pulling her close to him, so she was right next to him. She stared up into his eyes, the moon creating shadows on his face, but making his eyes glow with a pale, sparkling light. The lightest blush rose on her face, but thankfully, it was hidden by the shadows. He gave her an encouraging smile and she smiled weakly back, tears still dripping out of her eyes. She laid her head on his shoulder suddenly, drawn to his warmth and comfort. She closed her eyes as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders without hesitation, drawing him closer to her, and smiled just a tiny bit as he rested his chin on the top of her head. She didn't sleep the rest of the night, but didn't mind. The sound of his breathing was comforting to her, as was the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest. She closed her eyes, not drifting off, just relaxing against him. Letting him sway her into a peaceful oblivion.

* * *

**I scared myself writing that dream. But hey, torture and near-death scenes are my specialty.**

**I probably should not have revealed that to you.**

**ANYWAY, please review! I don't own Homestuck. At all. Seriously. I don't want The Huss tracking me down and stealing my orange juice. I love that stuff.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four! Please remember: I have begun threatening people with a nose pinch from Mr. Snappers if they don't review. Don't think I won't sic him on you, too.**

**Note: I don't own Homestuck, just my OC.**

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Sarah was reading a book in the kitchen about a week later when she heard low voices coming from the living room. She closed the book and laid it on the table, then stood and silently walked over to the door, hiding just enough behind the corner so she could hear but not be seen. Kankri, Karkat, and their father were talking quietly.

"…alright? You know how she gets around crowds, Father," Kankri was saying. "Please, allow me to remain here with her."

"Kankri, this is a _family_ vacation," his father responded. "I understand that she gets nervous around large crowds, and the entire thing is basically a large crowd, but she can stay with the Captors until we get back."

"But Father-"

"Kankri, shut the hell _up_!" Karkat snapped. "You're going, she's staying with Sollux. Now shut up and go tell her. We all know you have a crush on her, so it might as well be you."

Sarah could just imagine the blush forming on Kankri's face, nearly matching his fluffy red sweater. She went up to her room silently and sat on her bed, reading a book. A moment later, he walked in, his face just as red as she had imagined. She smiled and sat up when he walked in.

"Hello, Sarah," he said to her. "May I speak with you for a moment?" She nodded and scooted over to give him room on the bed. He sat down next to her.

"My father, brother, and I go to a convention every year, as a family vacation. My father talks with the presenters there, and Karkat and I just walk around and have fun. But… seeing as you don't do well with crowds, we figured it would be best if you spent the week with our neighbors, the Captors."

"Oh…" her face fell a bit. She didn't want him to leave her… as much as he had a crush on her, _she _also had quite the crush on _him_ as well…

"Don't worry, they're quite kind," he assured her. "But be warned, the Makaras might come over, and Gamzee can get a little… out of hand…" She nodded slowly.

"A week, right?" She asked. "When do I leave?"

"Tonight, I'm afraid," he said with a sigh. "I'm sorry. If I could stay with you, I would…"

"That's okay, Kankri. I'm sure it'll be… fine." She was assuring herself more than she was assuring him…

"…Sarah? May I try something?" He asked, that blush creeping across his face once again. She nodded. "What is-" He cut her off with a kiss.

It was her first kiss. A blush tinted her cheeks red as she blinked, surprised. She knew he had a crush on her, but she hadn't expected him to _kiss _her!

Then again, she had a crush on him, too. So she kissed back, shy at first, then slowly more brave, even wrapping her arms around his neck as they kissed. This only darkened her blush more, but she sighed in content when he placed his hands on her waist.

They leapt apart when the flash of a camera and the accompanying "Got it, Dad!" Kankri bolted down the stairs after Karkat and the camera. Sarah laughed lightly, and Kankri stopped when he heard it. She hadn't laughed around them yet, and it was, to be completely honest, the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard. He ran back into her room, kissed her lightly, and ran back downstairs. She laughed again and headed down herself, to see if her new boyfriend would be able to destroy the evidence of their first kiss.

She hoped not.

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**Sorry the chapter's so short. It's late at night right now and I'm tired. Please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay, yes, I ****_know_**** the last chapter was very short- only about 600 words. I have a valid explanation. I did about six updates total yesterday, and as many of you out there know, writing takes a ****_lot_**** of time, and I was writing pretty much all day. The last update I wrote yesterday was for ****_Homeless_****, and that was late at night. So I'll reward you guys for sticking around with a long chapter. NOTE: I don't own Homestuck. Enjoy!**

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An hour later, Sarah was up in her room with Kankri, trying to think about how she would handle the next week. She wouldn't be able to talk to him at all, she didn't know the Captors at all, and she wasn't good around other people. She never had been. Kankri had told her someone named Gamzee might come over while she was there, and he wasn't exactly… sober.

"He isn't?" she had asked, hands folded in her lap.

"No, he isn't," he explained. "You see, he makes these pies, and somehow gets ahold of drugs. He puts them in the pies, and they make him high." He sighed. "He can't function anymore without the drugs in his system. It's sad, really, how he has fallen to the basic societal image-" he looked up as the knock floated up to their ears. "Ah, that would be the Captors," he said and took her hand. She paled- she wasn't ready to leave him yet, she didn't want him to go. She wanted to stay here with him as she stood, to never leave this room as she walked out the door, hand in hand with Kankri. She could hear chatter from downstairs. Her heart began pounding, and she grew quiet once again, scared. Her hand tightened around Kankri's, and he laced their fingers together to reassure her that everything would be fine. It didn't help.

On the way down, he gave her a quick rundown on the Captors. "Mr. Captor is very kind," he said as they walked slowly down the stairs. "Sollux is his youngest son. He likes things that have to do with computers. He's pretty kind as well, and he's Karkat's age. They're friends. Mituna, Sollux's older brother, is our age. He has… mental problems. But he's very sweet. If he tries something, watch out, because he doesn't… know much better."

When they walked into the living room, everyone looked at them. Sarah backed up a bit, not liking the eyes on her. They reminded her of the glares she had gotten on the streets. She surveyed the new people that stood in front of the couch. A tall man with dark brown hair stood, wearing a black and yellow t-shirt and blue jeans. He must have been Mr. Captor. On his right stood a teenager that looked to be about Sarah's age, with fluffy brown hair that fell in his eyes and the happiest smile she had ever seen. He wore some kind of yellow helmet, though she couldn't think of why he would need a helmet. He wore some kind of black and yellow jumpsuit sort of thing, and black boots. Mituna. On the tall man's left side stood a younger boy, who was busy talking to Karkat. He had shorter, more controlled hair than the older boy, and wore strange glasses- one lens blue, one red. His shoes were black and white, and he wore a black t-shirt and blue jeans. He must have been Sollux. Kankri cleared his throat.

"Sarah, these are the Captors," he said, and the family looked at her. She backed behind Kankri a bit more, feeling like she wanted to bolt out of the room and curl up in her favorite dark corner of the attic, but she forced herself to stay.

Suddenly, she was knocked onto the carpeted floor by a flash of brown and yellow. When she opened her eyes a moment later, the older boy was lying on top of her. "Pretty girl!" he said happily. She couldn't help but notice his lisp. She began to hyperventilate as Kankri tried to coax the boy off of her, and he suddenly laid his head on her chest. "Soft…" She stared up at him, fear in her eyes, and he pouted.

"How come no girls like me _ever_?" He wailed sadly.

He was pulled off of her by his younger brother. "Mituna, you idiot, you _have_ a girlfriend! Latula, remember?" The younger boy's lisp wasn't quite as prominent as the older boy's- Mituna's.

"Oh, yeah!" Mituna said, as if he was just remembering her now. Sarah clutched Kankri's hand tightly, trying to calm down. She didn't know him, and he was _lying on top of her_. It wasn't that she had a problem with germs, she just… had a bad experience with strange people touching her. Every single one of them usually beat her when they did. Kankri pulled her into a tight hug, rubbing her back in small circles, as Mr. Vantas explained to Mr. Captor why she was acting the way she was in a soft, quiet voice. Kankri rested his forehead against Sarah's.

"It's okay, you're okay," he whispered softly. "Mituna didn't know… shh…" he cupped her cheeks in his hands and she closed her eyes, slowly relaxing at his touch. Her breathing slowed back to a normal pace, and her heartbeat stopped pounding in her ears. She nodded quickly, silently telling him that she was okay. He kissed her forehead softly, letting his lips linger, and then took her hand in his and turned back to the Captors.

"You okay?" Sollux asked her. She nodded quickly and gulped. How _embarrassing_…

"Sorry," Mituna said absentmindedly, looking around the room in wonder. Mr. Captor must have chastised him and made him apologize. But she didn't mind at all. Now that he was off of her, she realized that he was actually quite sweet, and very innocent. Like a little kid.

"Are you all packed up, Sarah?" Mr. Captor asked. She nodded- it wasn't like she had much to pack in the first place. She held a small bag that Kankri had lent to her, and pretty much all it had inside was hygienic products. Toothbrush, shampoo, soap. That stuff.

Kankri went with her as the Captors led her over to their house, crossing over both the Vantas' lawn and the Captors'. A skateboard laid upside-down in the Captors' driveway, and Mituna ran to pick it up and began to skate around the driveway. He promptly fell down, landing hard on his butt. He groaned, and Sollux sighed and went to help him up. Mr. Captor led Sarah and Kankri into the house.

There was a small hallway when they walked in the front door, leading straight to the living room. A space in the wall to her left led to the kitchen, which was about the same size as the kitchen at home.

Huh. That was strange. After only a few weeks, she already considered Kankri's house her home. They hadn't asked her to leave yet, so she guessed it _was _her home now. She smiled to herself. No one had _ever_ wanted them to stay with them, not since her parents died and she was forced to move in with her uncle.

Maybe she had a family now.

"That's the kitchen," Mr. Captor said, pointing into the kitchen. He led them down the hallway and into the living room. She looked around, observing. The couches and chairs were black, unlike at her house, where the furniture was white. On the floor was a honey yellow carpet. A large-screen TV hung on the wall, and a glass coffee table sat on top of the carpet, in front of the larger couch and a chair. A computer sat on a desk in the corner of the room, near two large windows that had a view of the backyard. "This is the living room," Mr. Captor continued. Kankri wasn't looking around like Sarah was- he was watching her, making sure nothing would make her have another anxiety attack. So far, so good. Mr. Captor pointed out the downstairs bathroom and the den, then the door that led to the basement. He took them to a flight of stairs and the two teens followed him up. There was a small lounge to the right of the stairs, and more rooms down the hall. Another bathroom stood at the end of the hall.

"This is my room," he said as they passed a closed door that was next to the lounge. As they walked, Kankri kept a secure hold on Sarah's hand.

"This room is Sollux's room," Mr. Captor said and pointed to an open door across from his. The room had a large electronic board of some kind on one side. Sarah didn't know what they were called. A bed sat in the corner of the room, next to a window. A computer, with many wires coming from the back and heading to both the electronic board across the room and a power outlet in the wall, sat in the opposite corner. She couldn't see any more from the angle she stood at. Mr. Captor led them on.

"This room is Mituna's room," he said. Mituna's room was messy. A few broken skateboards laid on the floor. A picture of a girl sat on his desk. Sarah assumed it was a picture of his girlfriend. What was her name again? She couldn't remember. But Mr. Captor led them on to a closed door across from Mituna's.

"This will be your room for the next week," he said as he opened up the door and led her inside. The room had a honeycomb theme, with a yellow carpet, the same color as the one she had seen downstairs. The bed sat with the headboard against a window, one side against a wall. The comforter had a yellow honeycomb design, and, as he showed her, was reversible. The other side showed black and white sparks of electricity. The closet held an extra pillow and blanket inside. The windows had a view of the driveway. She could see her house if she sat on her bed. That was good. She could stare at her house while she missed Kankri all day.

How fun.

Mr. Captor walked out of the room, leaving Sarah and Kankri alone. He looked over at her as she sat down on the bed, then came over and sat next to her.

"You're quiet," he observed.

"I'm always quiet," she said back.

"Do you not like it here? I can always ask the Maryam's, I'm sure they'd be glad to-"

"I'm fine here, Kankri," she said, cutting off his sentence. "I mean… I'll be fine."

"I'll tell you what," he said, and took her hand in his. "I'll call another friend of Karkat's, his name is Tavros Nitram. He's a very kind, and he's relatively quiet as well. I'll ask if he can come over once in a while to keep you company, alright?" She nodded, and he kissed her forehead and stood. "I'll be back momentarily, I'll go make the call." He smiled at her and walked out of the room, leaving her alone again, but not for long.

A white car pulled into the driveway and three people got out of it. Two boys and a man. The boys, one wearing a _lot_ of purple and blue, along with a scarf and hipster glasses, was arguing with an older boy that looked remarkably similar to a 50's greaser, with slicked back hair and a toothpick sticking out from between his lips. Sarah suspected that if he was old enough, it would be a cigarette instead. He wore a white t-shirt and a black leather jacket, with tight black pants and white sneakers. The man- she suspected he was their father- looked like he wanted to kill both of them. They walked inside the house- she could hear their shouting the moment the door opened. She looked up as Sollux walked into her room.

"Hey," he said. "You, uh, settling in okay?" She nodded, and they both turned their attention to the door as footsteps tromped up the stairs and towards her room. Her eyes widened as the two she had seen downstairs stepped into her doorway. They stopped their arguing when they saw her, and the younger one turned his attention to Sollux. They began talking, but Sarah wasn't listening.

The older one was walking toward her with a smirk on his face.

"Hey there, kitten," he said as he got closer. She stood from the bed and began backing toward the corner of the room, a look of complete fear on her face. Why wasn't he _stopping_? Couldn't he see she was scared of him?

"You're cute, doll," he said as her back hit the wall. "What's your name?"

She didn't answer. She couldn't make her voice work, and she didn't want to.

"Quiet, huh? That's okay." He leaned an arm on the wall above her and she couldn't meet his eyes. Her heart was pounding in her chest, hands shaking. She began hyperventilating. He smelled like oil and desperation. But, to her relief, he was pulled away by Sollux.

"She has a _boyfriend_, asshole," Sollux scolded the boy as he pulled him away from her. She sank to the ground and pulled her knees to her chest, still panicking. The younger boy looked over at her, and then went over, kneeling in front of her. She looked up at him, fear in her emerald eyes.

"Sorry about Cronus," he said. He had a funny accent, one she'd never heard before. "He's a little… pushy. My name is Eridan Ampora. Here." He took off his purple and blue scarf and wrapped it around her neck. Their eyes met.

"Maybe… we could be friends?" He asked softly, his touch gentle as he wrapped the scarf around her neck. She stared into his eyes, and didn't see anything mean or malicious. He was genuine- she hadn't seen that look for years, until she met Kankri. Before she knew what she was doing, she nodded. Making a new friend. He smiled softly and patted her hand before standing and helping her up as well. At least he had _one _friend now…

Sollux shoved Cronus and Eridan out of the room as Kankri came back in. He saw the look on her face and went to her, instantly pulling her into a hug. "What happened?" he asked softly, stroking her hair. She sighed.

"I… I think I made a new friend."

He pulled out of the hug, holding her shoulders. "You did? Who?"

"Eridan. He gave me his scarf." She held up the fabric for him to see. It was soft and warm, though it didn't bring her as much comfort as Kankri's red sweater did. Kankri blinked.

"Well then… That's good. Friends are good." He kissed her gently, holding her waist now. And she kissed him back, as she always did. He pulled back to look at her.

"I have to leave now," he said, the smile on his face falling. Hers slipped away as well. "I have to go pack…"

She sighed. "It's just a week, right?" Kankri nodded.

"Just a week, and then I'll be back with you." He kissed her forehead, letting his lips trail there before pulling back. "I won't stop thinking about you for a moment…"

"I won't stop thinking about you either," she whispered and hugged him. She didn't want to let go. Finally, he kissed her again.

"Goodbye, my darling." He hugged her, and then walked out of the room. She went to her bed and sat, watching him walk across the lawn, cross his driveway, and disappear into his- _their_ house. She pulled her knees to her chest and hugged Eridan's scarf close.

One week to go.

* * *

**2,677 words? I'll take it! It's better than 612, that's for sure… Anyway, please review! Thank you to last chapter's reviewers!**


	6. Author's note

Hey guys!

I've been super busy with school just starting, visiting colleges, and working on figuring out my future. Also, my computer is currently at Best Buy, being worked on- so I don't have it. I understand I haven't been updating- I haven't really updated anything- so once I get my computer back, one of my first priorities is updating my stories. I promise, I'll be back as soon as I can- just hold on a little longer!

Crazychick14


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